It began as a gallant gesture. An off-the-clock bartender offered to walk a female patron home. But the night would lead to a punctured lung, two surgeries and medical bills that could go as high as $100,000.

Mike Boone of Trusty's Bar in Washington, D.C.'s East Hill neighborhood was walking a customer home earlier this month when a man grabbed the woman's purse. Boone fended off the attacker but the fight left him with eight stab wounds, which included a punctured lung, Washington radio station WTOP reports.

"A lot of people think that I did a foolish thing and they wouldn't do that," Boone, who has no medical insurance, told WTOP. But he added that he strongly disagrees. "People need to stand up."

Boone told WUSA that the would-be robber jumped out from behind bushes or an alley and grabbed the woman's purse. Boone says that he then wrestled the man to the ground.

"Before I knew it, he had gotten up and ran away," Boone told the Washington TV station. He says that he then lifted his shirt and saw that he was gushing blood from the gashes inflicted by a 6-inch knife blade, and that was the last thing he remembers before passing out.

Boone was airlifted to a local hospital where he underwent two surgeries and spent four days.

Boone now faces huge medical bills -- as much as $20,000 to $100,000, he said. The helicopter ride alone could cost $8,000.

Bar management and regulars have stepped in to help, holding a fundraiser this week to aid the barkeep with his expenses.

"We asked people for help and a lot of people and bars donated gift certificates to raffle off," Trusty's General Manager Adam Maradian told WUSA.

As for the robber, WUSA reports that he was caught by D.C. Metro Police, who were aided in the capture after the suspect dropped his I.D. -- and parole papers -- at the crime scene.